Iggie's House by Judy Blume

Author:Judy Blume [Blume, Judy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-81768-6
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2012-03-22T04:00:00+00:00

chapter six

Winnie opened her eyes and looked around. For a second she was not quite sure where she was. Then she remembered runing home from the Garbers. She remembered the way she had burst through the back door of her house and how her mother had chased her up the stairs, two at a time. She knew that now she was sprawled out on her bed and that no one had taken the time to fold back the blue quilted spread. Her mother was bending over her and there was a cold, wet washcloth on her forehead. Winnie rolled her eyes from side to side.

“Thank heavens, Winnie!” Mrs. Barringer sighed. “Can you tell me what hurts?”

“Everything hurts,” Winnie moaned.

The expression of relief left Mrs. Barringer’s face. She got up off the bed. “I’m going to call the doctor,” she announced, “and I’ll be right back.”

Winnie reached out and caught her mother’s arm. “Don’t leave Mom. Please stay here,” she whimpered.

“It will only take a minute, Winnie.”

But Winnie sat up and shouted, “I don’t want him Mom. I don’t need any doctor. I’m not sick like that!” She put her head back down on the pillow and moaned again.

“Are you sure you’re not sick Winnie?” Mrs. Barringer sat down on the bed beside her, feeling her forehead.

“No, I am not sick!” Winnie insisted.

“Well then, what happened? You came into the house screaming and crying. Something must have happened. Let’s talk about it.”

Winnie sat up again. “Do you know what she did Mom? Do you know?” she asked breathlessly. “She put a sign in their grass. A SIGN! Can you imagine! She’s the most horrible person that ever lived! And I hate her!” Winnie flopped backwards and stared up at the ceiling.

“What are you talking about?” Mrs. Barringer asked, shaking her head. “I haven’t any idea. You’re not making sense.” She handed Winnie a tissue. “Here, blow your nose and let’s start over again.”

Winnie sat up. She blew her nose hard, took a deep breath, and blurted out the whole dreadful story. When she had finished, her mother studied her face for a moment without speaking. Then Mrs. Barringer sighed and said, “What an awful thing to do.” She put the washcloth back on Winnie’s forehead, and brushed some loose strands of hair off her face. “But I certainly am relieved to find out there’s nothing wrong with you. You had me worried Winnie!”

Winnie jumped back up. “Nothing wrong? How can you say that! Everything is wrong. EVERYTHING! Didn’t you hear what I just said? I ran away when I read the sign. I ran away Mom. I didn’t even say anything. I just ran. They’ll probably hate me now. I could just die!”

Mrs. Barringer laughed softly. “Oh Winnie! You’re being ridiculous. I think you’re making too much out of the whole thing. Why should they hate you?”

Winnie looked straight into her mother’s eyes. “Why should they hate me?” she asked. “That’s easy. I’ll tell you why. Because I’m white!”

“Winifred! You are not thinking.

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